Can lifter



Jan. 12, 1932 H. c. CLAYBURGH CAN LIFTER Filed Aug. 1, 1930 INVE TOR. W

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 12, 1932 PATENT OFFEQE HARRY C. CLAYBURGI-I, OF -.OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T D .FAGTUBING COMPANY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNZA can l-LIFTER Application filed. August 1, 1930. Serial No. 472,303.

This invention :is for a can lifter and has special reference to a hand operated device for gripping and lifting-a plurality of cans, such as the usual containers for food products and hasforits main obj ect, -the provision etahand operated d-evice'which is normally in open position, and can thus be placed over a plurality of cans and then, by means of a gripping action on the handle is caused to grip the cans, whereby they may be lifted and placed in suitable cases or otherwise disposed of, the can being released as soon as the gripping action on the handle is released.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described which will grip the cans transversely or across the end by means of a three-point grip, thereby equally spacing the cans and properly aligning them, whereby they may readily and conveniently be placed in cases, or stacked, in an orderly manner and in an upright position.

Further objects of the invention will be readily discernible as the following descripti on is read on the drawings forming a part of this specification.

lhe invention consists primarily of a pair of parallel spaced gripping bars, having a lifting and gripping handle centrally spanning the bars whereby a gripping action on the handle causes the bars to close toward each other, one of the bars having an inturned flange adapted to cooperate with a can just below the head-seam, the other bar being proided with a plurality of spaced discs vertically pivoted and in horizontal alignment with the inturned flange on the opposite bar, the cans being each gripped between the inturned flange on one bar and two discs on the opposite bar providing thereby a three-point grip.

The invention is adequately illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which;

s ig. 1 is a top plan view of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the invention.

Similar reference characters are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views.

The invention consists of a channel shaped bar 5 the lower flange 6 of which is shorter than the upperflange 7. Parallel to the channe'l shaped bar and spacedly related thereto is an angle barS, the horizontal leg 9 being turned inward and having mounted thereon, a plurality ofspacedly related spools 1O havinga flange '11 at the bottom thereof and pi"- otallymountedbymeans oi screws 12 v ch are threadedly engaged in the flange 9 and locked 'inadjusted position by means of the nut 13. Integral with or fined to the bar 5 are stop fingers 14 adapted to arevent the bar 5 from passing too far down the sides of the cans .15 and possibly cooperating with the upper flange 7.

{The handle consists of a pair of ing members 18 and 19 fixedre-spectively to the upper iflange 7 and vertical leg 8 of the gripping bars as indicated at 16 and 17 and pivotally connected at 20, the member 18 havingthe finger. guard 21 integral therewith and extending substantially parallel to the top bar'22 of member 19, whereby a grip may be obtained by'placing thepalm of the hand over bar i22and the fingers through the guard 21.

The operation of the device is as follows: The device'is placed over the tops of a plurality ofcansand the flanges 6 and 11 permitted to drop over the edges and below the cap seamrasindica'ted'in Figs. 1 and 3. The pivoted members 11 centralize the cans with reference'to each pair of flanges 11. By drawing the finger guard 21 toward the bar 22, the cans are caused to be gripped between the flangefi and pivoted flanges 11 thus gripping at three points andsecurely holding the cans, which may then be lifted while retaining the grip 'on the handle. To release the cans it is butlnecessaryto release'the grip between finger guard 21 and bar 22, the device being instantly removable.

Having described an operative method of construct-ingand operating the device, it will be-nnderstood that variations in construction and arrangement of parts which are consistent with the appended claims may be resorted to without detracting from the spirit or scope of theinvention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What I claim is:

1. A can lifting device, in combination a cooperatbar having an inturned flange, a second bar in spaced relation and provided with a plurality of depending equally spaced, pivotally mounted spools, said bars being respectively .fiXed to a pair of co-acting, pivotally conspaced relation and parallel thereto, and provided with a plurality of equally spaced pivotally mounted discs said bars being connected by means of pivotally connected coacting members of a gripping handle, whereby the gripping of said coacting members causes said cans to be gripped between said inturned flange and a pair of said discs.

3. A can lifting device comprising a pair of spacedly related parallel bars intermediately connected by means of a carrying handle consisting of two coacting members pivotally connected, one of said bars having an intur ed flange, the other of said bars having a plurality of equally spaced pivotally mounted discs in substantially horizontal alignment with said flange, the coa'cting members of said carrying handle being adapted to create a gripping action between said flange and said discs on an interposed can about the cap seam.

4. A can lifting device comprising a pair of spacedly related bars intermediately connected by means of a carrying handle con sisting of two coacting members pivotally connected, an inturned flange at the lower end of one of said bars, the other of said bars being provided with a plurality of equally spaced discs pivotally mounted and in horizontal alignment with said inturned flange, and spacers between said discs and said bar.

5. A can lifting device, in combination par allel members adapted to diametrically span a plurality of cans, one of said members having means for coincidently spacing said cans and engaging the undersurface of the cap seam, the other member being adapted to engage the under surface of the cap seam, said members being fixedly connected to handle members, and a handlle comprising two members hingedly connected and adapted by gripping thereof to retract said parallel members.

6. A can lifting device, a pair of hingedly connected, cooperating handle members, a bar transversely fixed to each of said members and parallel one to the other, a plurality of spaced can spacing and gripping devices secured to one of said bars, said other bar having an inturned flange adapted to cooperate with said gripping devices for supporting a plurality of spaced cans by the cap seams thereof.

7. A can lifting device, in combination, two parallel members transversely connected by a gripping handle adapted by the gripping thereof to move said parallel members towar each other, one of said members having an inturned flange throughout the length thereof, the other of said members having a plurality of spaced discs mounted on vertical axes and in horizontal alignment with said inturned flange.

8. A can lifting device, in combination, parallel bars retractably mounted and an intermcdiately disposed handle therefor, one of said bars having continuous means throughout its length for engaging the cap seam of a can, the other bar having spaced members in horizontal alignment with said continuous means adapted to each coincidently space and engage two cans by the cap seams thereof.

In testimony whereof I aiflx my signature.

HARRY C. GLAYBURGH. 

